Has your dentist recommended that you be sedated for an upcoming procedure? If you have never been sedated before, you may be nervous about the prospect. What does dental sedation feel like? Is it really right for you? This blog post can help you prepare for the road ahead.
What Is Dental Sedation?
Dental sedation involves the use of medications to help patients stay relaxed and calm throughout treatments. It can also dull the body’s response to pain. The three most popular types of dental sedation are:
- Nitrous oxide, a gas that you inhale through a nasal mask.
- Oral conscious sedation, which involves the use of a pill that is swallowed shortly before treatment begins.
- Intravenous (IV) sedation, wherein sedative is administered directly into the bloodstream.
What Do the Various Forms of Sedation Feel Like?
The exact sensations that you experience while under the influence of sedation depend on which type of sedation is being used.
- With nitrous oxide sedation, patients tend to feel relaxed. They might also feel like they are floating. Some experience giddiness and get a case of the giggles, which is why nitrous oxide is sometimes referred to as “laughing gas.”
- Oral conscious sedation is more powerful than nitrous oxide. It may make you feel heavy and drowsy. Some patients even drift off to sleep while under its influence, though you should remain alert enough to respond to directions and questions from your dental team.
- IV sedation feels similar to oral conscious sedation, although it can be somewhat more powerful. It may sometimes be referred to as “twilight sedation” because although it does not cause unconsciousness, it is common for patients to fall asleep.
The effects of oral conscious sedation and IV sedation can linger for several hours, so you should not have any activities planned for after your treatment.
Is Dental Sedation Right for You?
In most cases, the decision to use dental sedation is a personal one. It has benefited countless individuals who are anxious about treatments, as well as those that have physical conditions that make it difficult to sit through dental procedures. Dentists often recommend it when a patient must undergo an invasive or extensive service.
Of course, many procedures can be performed without sedation. If you choose to forgo it for any reason, your dental team will take extra care to be gentle during your treatment.
Dental sedation has the potential to make your next procedure as easy and stress-free as possible! If you have questions about what to expect with it, do not hesitate to ask your dentist.
Meet the Practice
Dr. Erin Page and the team at Capital Smiles in Schenectady are proud to offer multiple forms of dental sedation, including nitrous oxide, oral conscious sedation, and IV sedation. To learn more about how these techniques may be able to benefit you, contact our office at 518-374-0317.